Chapter 6

"Minho, I think you should really think about mental rehabilitation for her."

Minho uses a few seconds to take a deep breath in, then put the chopsticks in his hand into the lunch box and closing it tightly. "I lost my appetite because of you, Hyung." he comment.

Leeteuk hold his shoulder, "She needs a better medical care, Minho." Leeteuk added.

"No. My answer won’t change until whenever, Hyung." Minho insisted.

Leeteuk sighed as he closed his eyes briefly. He already knew wouldn’t be easy to persuade Minho to submit Sulli to rehab. He has been doing it since three years ago and to this day, Minho still said same answer, which is 'no'.

"Your sister can't control her emotions, sometimes she looks fine and sometimes.. as you can see now, she was lying on the bed because she couldn't control her emotions. She needs help, Minho." he explained.

"She had me."

"But you can't always there. I know you have many other activities, your job, your life, and I quite understand that you're always worried when leaving her alone. Bring Sulli to rehab doesn't mean you leave her, it means you're help her, You give her what she needs, and you can also continue your life in peace."

Minho chuckled that sounds like a mockery, "You sound like my father, but in a version that is more talkative."

"Minho,"

"I and my father spent many years to take care of her and protect her. After my father died, I take care of her alone, I'm the only family she had, I was the only thing  she had," he looked down. "Maybe you think, I'm so stupid. I spend my life to take care of her and waste my life. But do you know, during the past eight years I take care of her alone, during the sixteen years I stood beside her, never at all I regret because my father  brought her into our lives. Though I can't be free as anyone else, but I don't mind."

Leeteuk patted his back when he heard Minhos voice is getting hoarse. He glanced at Minho's face, the tears was clearly running down from his eyes to his face.

"And if I bring her to rehab, one thing I know is that means I will separate with her. That means you ruin my life." Minho continued.

Leeteuk lost for words. This is not the first time he saw Minho cry like this, but the feeling that comes when he see the tears shed because of his sister remains the same. Minho is really great. He is the most determined to maintain his mentally ill sister not to step the rehab when the other families of his patients push their family member who mentally ill to the rehab.

-

She was already awake when Minho back into her room. She looks fine. She sat on her bed with cross-legged, while Taeyeon feeding her with porridge provided by nurse. She staring at Minho who stood in the doorway. Her lips curved, forming a smile that Minho misses the most. Her eyes were bright like the sky without clouds. A moment later, she waved her hand at Minho.

"Sulli .."

Minho hugged her tightly. He put his arms around her and repeatedly kissed the head of his little sister. Her cheek resting on Minho's chest, hearing his heartbeat which clearly moving fast. She put her arm around her brother's waist with full of affection.

"You're always making me worried, do you want me to die quickly because worried about you?"

Sulli laugh, sounds nice in the ear of Minho. "I'm sorry." she said sincerely.

"Promise me that you won't making me worry anymore!" Minho said as he tightened his embrace.

Leeteuk walked into the room at that time. He glanced at Taeyeon who looks happy to see what the brother-sister do. Taeyeon smiled at him, then nodded as if to gave signal to him that Sulli was fine.

"No way," Sulli shook her head. "If you're not worried about me, you wouldn’t call me every hour and won’t leave early from the office, you're not going to notice me. I don’t want to promise you."

The words that make anyone who hears dumbfounded. That's sounds selfish but also so sweet.

"Now promise me you'll always worry about me!" she continued.

Minho her head and patted her shoulder. He arched a smile on his face and said, "Okay, I'll always worry about you. Are you happy now?"

Sulli nodded.

She took off her arms and tilted her head to the side, trying to steal a glance at the figure with a charming dimples that stood behind Minho. Leeteuk then smiled when he realized Sulli notice him. He greeted her, "Annyeong. It's been a long time we didn’t meet, Ssul."

"Doctor Leeteuk!" Sulli cried gleefully. "What are you doing here? I'm not sick anymore, so you don't have to come." she pouted as he hid her palms with drip hose behind his back.

Leeteuk smiled. He came and sat on the edge of the bed, "So I shouldn't come? I just allowed to come when you're sick?" he ruffled her hair. “I came here because I miss you, but you don't seem happy." he pouted.

"No, no," she shook her head. "I'm glad you came, it's just that I thought you came to check my condition but you were coming because of missing me. I miss you too."

 “By the way, Ssul, there's something I want to ask you.. can you tell me what happened yesterday?"

Minho bit his lip, irritated after hearing the stupid question from Leeteuk. He directly holds his shoulders very hard. Leeteuk could feel the anger distributed through the hands of Minho. And Taeyeon can also clearly see the flames of anger in the eyes of Minho.

"I was playing with Robbie-"

"You don't have to explain, Ssul," Minho interrupted her words.

"Why? You said if anyone asks, we have to answer. If  you didn’t answer, it’s rude."

"But there are some questions that shouldn’t be answered."

"Like what?"

Minho was speechless.

Taeyeon finally took the initiative to resolve the tension that binds the four of them in that room. "Why don’t you eat again? It's also not polite when you leave your food away."

However Sulli shoved Taeyeon’s hands. "I was playing with Robbie when he suddenly thirsty, so I went to the kitchen to get milk, but then .."

Her words that hanging invite the curiosity of people who stood around her, including Minho. He looked forward to his younger sister, hoping that this time she did something that makes sense. Meanwhile, Sulli seems frowned.

"I don’t remember .." she continued, holding her head with her hands. Suddenly, she felt heavy on her head. She closed her eyes and whimpered in pain.

"What's wrong? Should I call a doctor?" Minho panic.

"No," said Sulli, clutching the arm of Minho, "Stay here... with me." she said.

-

Hara came, bringing lunch box which contains fast food that she bought for Minho, she ran along the hospital corridor to reach the front of Sulli's room. She breaks into the room in a rush, thinking Minho didn't have a lunch before. And unexpectedly, she saw her brother sitting together on the bed with Sulli. They are reading a book together. His arms wrapped around the shoulders of Sulli who is seen leaning on his shoulder.

Hara made a fist. Upset? of course, especially when either Minho or Sulli wasn't aware of her presence. She always like a breeze for both of them. She always be the most not desirable. She always ended up like this until she felt that she really wasn't expected, useless, and can only interfere.

Hara sighed and was about to go out when she heard Minho's low voice calling her name, "Where you going, Hara?" Hara put the lunch box she was carrying on a nearby table and hurried out of the room without an answer.

Braak!

Hara slammed the door.

And the tears trickle down.

That feeling that always comes up every time she saw her brother treate Sulli better than her. She is the younger sister of Minho, Minho supposed to protect her, care about her, being nice to her, not to the girl who was accidentally discovered by their father. Upset, angry, disappointed, even if there are other more appropriate words describing her anger at that time, she already felt it. She was bored by all the attitude that Minho always do to Sulli. She was tired by all the reasons that Minho gave her when she asked Minho to be fair to her. She was feeling pretty neglected if indeed Minho intends to ignore her.

Hara wipe tears from the corners of her eyes. She doesn't want to linger there, in the same place with the two people she hated most. But Minho grabbed her hand and made her body turned to face him.

"Let go of me!" she snapped.

"Where you going?" Minho isn't affected by Hara's tears.

"I'm going home. Let me go!"

"Hara, wait, listen-"

"You better listen to me!" she interrupted, "Whoever your real sister now I don't care, it doesn't affect me anymore. I've already lived this long time without a brother and I think I can pass it to death. So, from now on, you don't have to care about me anymore. Go! protect her who need you! I'm okay." she said in a trembling voice due to tears.

"You don't understand, Ha-"

"I'm understand, Minho, I really understand. She's different, not normal like me and therefore you have to protect her," Hara said as she sat in the chair. "But I'm also your sister.. Should I to be different so that you will care about me? What should I do to make you protect me as well as you protect her?" she cried as she covered her face with her hands.

Her shoulders shook although she had tried to hold mightily. But it is hard, as hard as she is trying to strong to withstand the pain in her heart. She's been patient long enough, holding the loneliness that had already accompanied her every time.

Minho saw Hara thoughtfully. Her tears now as if slapping him, revive that so far he has abandoned Hara. He didn't really pay attention to her sister over the years. He always puts Hara in second, or maybe third, or perhaps fourth. He let Hara hurt, and let the wound was gaping for years without ever going to treat it.

Minho sat next to Hara. His hands were shaking for the reason that he didn't know. Slowly, he brought Hara into his arms and leaning on her shoulder. "I'm sorry ..." he said as a single tear rolling down his cheeks.

It feels very warm.

Minho suddenly remembered this is the first time he hugged Hara back after a year. The last time he hugged Hara is when they are at her mother's funeral, after that they live individually. Every day he made sure to hug Sulli, but it took a year to embrace Hara again.

He certainly was a very sinning brother.

-

The sunlight bursts in when Minho open the door to get into the house. With very carefully, and slowly, Minho lead Sulli into the living room. The house was already much better than the previous situation where Sulli managed to ravage the house alone.

"Oppa, I'm not sick. I'm already recover." Sulli said after leaned her back on the couch because Minho treats her like a sick person

Minho just smiled in return.

"Hm, where's Hara? I haven't seen her since yesterday." she asked.

Minho seemed less comfortable with that question, but he managed not to show it to her. "She's back to her apartment. She would visit us again, she said." he replied.

Last night, Hara came back to the hospital and said goodbye to Minho. Her eyes were swollen from crying during the day can covered with dazzling makeup. She will back to her apartment, she said. She didn't discuss their fights at the hospital hallway and walked away as if nothing happened. Again, Hara shows her strength. She is a person who doesn't like to look back, she will quickly forget the events that have gone through and start a new chapter.

"Why? I'm glad she stayed here." Sulli complained.

Minho nodded, he agrees with Sulli. Then, he asked, "Are you hungry? Shall we order a food?" Sulli nodded eagerly. "What are you going to eat?" he asked again.

"Jajangmyeon." Sulli replied confidently.

"Well, wait a minute."

While Minho ordering a food. Sulli looked around in her own home. Three days isn't in house feels like three years. Three days in the hospital makes her forget some of the details in his own home. Sulli saw the envelopes above the dinning table one by one.

"Oppa, there is a letter for you." Sulli said from the dining room, then walked leisurely toward the living room again. "Su-Su.. Zy.. Suzy?" she spelled. She doesn't know how to read because she never got the proper education, except from Minho.

Once again, she was different.

"From who?"

Minho appeared and approached Sulli. Sulli looked up, and then provide a letter from Suzy to Minho. "From Suzy, I'm right?" she asked.

Minho nodded while receiving the letter. He opened the yellow envelope. It was not a piece of paper with handwriting on Suzy, but a picture where the girl smiled sweetly as she looked at the camera, but she wasn't alone. Besides Suzy, Minho's figure could be found who was also smiling with arms tenderly hugging Suzy.

"What's that? A photograph?" Sulli wanted to know. Minho nodded again, but this time it felt so weak. Sulli captured the photo of the hands of Minho. She smiled, and praised Suzy who looks very pretty in that photo. And then, she flipped the photo and exclaimed shocked when she saw the handwriting there.

"Let me see!" Minho taking the photo again and read it with a soft voice.

The sentence consists of two very short lines along with the smile emoticons. Minho reading that letter while occasionally imagine the girl's face, also how she greeted him with a fond smile that can melt his heart. For some reason he miss her.

"What's with Suzy? Why would she say that? Like she will go away." Sulli comments.

Minho ignored her, even he did not listen to what Sulli said who immediately rushed into the living room and the television. He raised his hand once again.  Thank you for this precious two years :) I hope you have a better life after this. I'm sorry.

-

Sulli looked at Minho's face through the corner of her eye occasionally, watching the movements of her brother who a little bit strange after they returned from the hospital. While the person didn't realize at all if there's a beautiful face girl who don't want to look the other way than himself.

"Oppa .."

"Hm .."

"What is it?"

"There’s nothing"

Her eyes, which is not too big but enough to make someone who looked at her kneeling in front of her, slowly turned wistful. Also her lips are always in a smile every time when she hear his voice talked to her finally dissapear.

Sulli don't need to think twice to leave the table before spending his dinner. She pulled Robbie who sat next to her and dragged him up to her room. She lost her appetite, and she felt something forcing her to continue to be angry. She was just angry and didn't know why.

Minho just sighed, not trying to pursue Sulli and ask why she do that. Just for a day, just this once, could he be a little selfish and only thinking of himself? He was not wanting to disturb and do not want to be disturbed. He wants to be alone.

After Minho finishing dinner, he tidied up his own dirty plates and glasses on the table. In the previous days, Sulli always help him but the girl seemed didn't want to do that today. Usually she is very happy to wash dishes with Minho, playing with water and foam. Suddenly he felt something warm hugged him from behind when he was about to clean the dishes.

"Oppa ..."

That voice.

The arms was getting hugged him tightly as if afraid that if she let go of him, he would disappear forever.

"Oppa ..."

Sulli called.

She closed her eyes for a moment and let the scent of Minho get into her nose and filled the space in her lungs. Suddenly her eyes opened wide as Minho's fingers touched her wrist and held it tightly.

"Don't do that again," she said. "Don't ignore me again like that."

Minho pulled the hem of his lips.

The words removes all of his worries, leaving happiness that can not be replaced with anything. Every second that passes feels so heavy since he receiving a letter from Suzy this afternoon, but now passed so fast when he was with Sulli. Time will seem so fast when we live with the feeling of happiness, Minho and Sulli can prove it at this time... when they were together.

Ringg ... Ringg ...

Telephone ringing sound echoed from the living room makes Sulli release her arm of Minho. The man turned and asked Sulli to wait there while he was picking up the phone. Sulli nodded.

"Hara is missing," he said when he returned after picking up the phone. "Her friend told me that Hara has not returned home. Hara .. she was expelled from her apartment."

Sulli was smart enough to understand that now Hara resides somewhere. She also panic like Minho, too panicked until she almost called the fire department.

 "I hope she's okay now," she said when Minho helped her with her coat.

"I hope so."

Sulli and Minho holding hands while walked quickly toward the exit. There's nothing went well for him today, either Suzy or Hara, the two women gave him extreme pressure, bring him plunged into the abyss of regret because he has become too selfish.

Klek!

"Hara!" Sulli shouted as she saw the woman with long hair and slim body was standing on the doorstep.

"You're here?" Minho asked.

Hara blinked. Then let Minho embraced her.

"You must be very sad to have brother like me, right?"

"Hm .."

"I'll really try to be a good brother from now on, so be patient, please. Give me more time to show you that I love you like I love Sulli .."

"How long? I'm not a patient person, so I can't give you a long time." Hara replied in a trembling voice. Instantly, Minho could feel his shoulders wet from her tears.

"It won't be long ..." he continued, "You can stay here if you want. this house is your house too, because we are family."

Maybe there is no word to describe how they feel. The woman who dreamed of her brother's love that she never get but could see clearly how her brother treat others better than her, and the man who can't be fair to split his affection for his sisters. However, the promise was already mentioned. Now, destiny that would take them.

"Welcome back home, Hara." he said.